Lift fans and other rotors, collectively referred to herein as “lift fans”, may be used to provide lift to manned or unmanned multirotor aircraft, such as personal aircraft and drones. Mixed flight mode aircraft may use lift fans to provide lift in a vertical flight mode, e.g., to take off, hover, or land. Such an aircraft may transition after takeoff into a forward flight mode in which one or more forward flight propellers may be used to propel the aircraft through the air. Lift may be generated in the forward flight mode by one or more wings comprising the aircraft.
In the forward flight mode, unless locked the lift fans may generate drag and/or other undesirable forces. It may not be practical to use conventional mechanisms to lock lift fan rotors, e.g., due to weight considerations, uncertainty as to rotor position as the aircraft transitions into forward flight, and/or other considerations.